Bullet-proof armor



B. SPOONER BULLET PROOF ARMOR Original Filed July 14. 1925 Oct. 19 1926.

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BULLET-PROOF ARMOR.

Application filed July 14,v 1925, serial no. 43,497.

This invention relatesto bullet-proof armor primarily adaptedi'jforlthe lprotection of persons whose occupati-ons sometimes subject them to danger from small arm weap- 5 ons, such as rifles, revolvers or other bullet propelling means.

The main object of the invention is to produce an armor for the protection of the vital parts of the human body comprising a plurality of bullet-resisting elements positioned within a pocket construction and positively secured against accidental displacement.

Another object of the invention resides in l the provision of means for ments in cooperative relationship.

A still further object is to provide means for holding said elements which is flexible and lire-resisting by nature, yet offering the highest known resistance to bullet impact.

Another aim of the invention is the adaptability of the arm or to conform to various uses and due to its flexibility and light weightmay be worn without appreciable -5 discomfort under ordinary clothing.

With these and other objects in view, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, myv invention consists in eertain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts. as will be hereinafter `described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in whiche- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved bullet-proof armor.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and Fig. l is a diagrammatic view, somewhat exaggerated, illustrating the vibratie effect produced by the impact of a bullet.

The major portion of this art, so far developed, discloses the use of front and rear protective elements, and as practical experience has demonstrated the non-utility of such elements, when the armor itself is suitably constructed, I propose to devise an armor comprising a plurality of superposed plates of varying tensile strengths, said plates absorbing the force of bullet-impact. Under this arrangement cushioning means either in front of or in the rear of the metal is unnecessar securing said ele- Renewed March 12, 1926.

tion, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

Each of the series of plates is retained within pockets made up of flat pieces of textile material, preferably spun and woven asbestos having the consistency of silk or cotton as to flexibility, yet lire-resisting to a high degree and capable of high resistance to bullet impact.

Referring specifically to Fig. 3, it will be observed that Ythe pocket 6 consists of a single sheet of material, ydenoted generally by the numeral 7, the end thereof heilig stitched as at 8, and rounded over at 9, forming the bight portion, the distance from said stitching to said bight portion, of course, being determined by the width of the plates 5. The material is then continued downwardly and stitched at 10. The first pocket G is thus formed.

The secon'd pocket 6a is made by stitching a flat piece of material at 11, the distance between this latter stitching and stitching 10 being again determined by the width of the plates 5 as heretofore. The lower end of the material is again stitched as shown at 12, thus forming the rear of the second pocket 6a and the front portion of a third pocket 6".

rlhis method is continued until a suitable number of pockets are formed, and while the drawings disclose further pockets numbered 6, 6d and 6e, it will, of course, be understood that I do not intend to restrict myself to any particular number, as obviously this the particular use of the armor.

The single sheets of material 13, 14 and 15 being stitched as indicated in Fig. 3, the latter sheet 15 may bestitched to a relatively narrow sheet 16, as at 17, thus forming the termination of the pockets.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the plates 5 may be of sutlicient width to overlie the ends fact must be determined by ping each other and a pocket inclosing each series of cold-rolled steel plates, said pockets being formed from a single sheet of lireresisting material, the upper part thereof comprising the rear of the upper pocket Vwhile its lower portion comprises the face of "its adjacent pocket.

2. A bullet-proof armor comprising a series of flexible metal plates, partly overlapping each other and a series of pockets inclosing said plates, said pockets being formed from a single flat sheet of fire-resisting material, cut and stitched to form respectively the front of one pocket and the rear of an adjacent pocket. l0

fseries of flexible ymetal plates, arranged in 3. A bullet-proof armor comprising a shingle formation and a series of pockets inclosing said plates, the uppermost pocket jbeing stitched on itself at the base of a series of plates and being wrapped thereover and Y'continued downwardly and stitched to form the face of the adjacent pocket.

4. A bullet-proof armor comprising a series of pockets and a plurality of flexible metal plates adapted to fit therein, said pockets being' arranged in shingle formation i and formed from a single sheet of fire-resistljing material arranged to form the face of one pocket and the -rear of an vadjacent pocket.

5. A bullet-proof armor comprising a series of overlapping pockets and a plurality of flexible metal plates adapted to fit within each pocket, said pockets being formed from a single sheet of fire-resisting material, cut and stitched to form respecv tively the front of one pocket and the rear of an adjacent pocket.

and continued over the uppermost set of plates and across the rear thereof and stitched at a point below the next lower set of plates thereby forming the front and rear of the first-named pocket and the front of the next pocket containing the next lower set of plates and a second piece of flat lire-resisting material stitched to the rear of the first pocket intermediate the ends thereof land continuing downwardly and stitched thereby forming the rear of the second-named pocket and the face of a third lower pocket.

7. A bullet-proofarmor comprising a series of overlapping pockets formed from a single sheet of fire-resisting material, the uppermost pocket being formed by stitching the material upon itself and wrapped to form the face and rear of saidvpocket and continued downwardly and stitchedV to form the face of the next lower pocket and another sheet of fire-resisting material stitched to the rear of the rst-named pocket'habove the base thereof and continued downwardly thereby forming the rear and face of the second and third pockets respectively and sheets of fire-resisting material similarly formed and stitched forming the face and rear portions respectively of adjacent pockets.

8. A bullet-proof armor comprising` a series of overlapping pockets and three flexible metal plates adapted to it therein, said pockets` being formed from a sin fle sheet of lire-resisting material cut and stitched to form respectively the front of an adjacent pocket and the rear of the next upper pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BERNARD SPOONER.

l formed from a single sheet of fire-resisting material stitched upon itself 

